Travis Braden did an amazing job back behind the wheel of the MatrixCare, Consonus Healthcare, Liberty Village Ford at Saturday’s Lucas Oil 200 Driven by General Tire at Daytona International Speedway. Braden started in 7th position and kept the #27 in the top-five for most of the race. In the last turn of the last lap, he got caught up in a wreck with the other lead cars, and was scored in the 22nd position.

Braden said after the race, “I'm very thankful for the effort put in by the RFMS team and Don Fike’s commitment to us which allowed us to do what we do. As a smaller team compared to the 3-4 "big teams," we took a lot of pride in the competitiveness of our car against theirs. After struggling some at the test last month, we brought a much better car back to Daytona and that is a great feeling for us, our sponsors, and fans.”

Braden added, “The race was very exciting and challenging. The draft in these new composite bodies was much different than the old bodies, and I felt like I was able to pick up on it about as well as any of the drivers in the field. My spotter Justin Withers was a big help in that regard, and he really learned a lot throughout the week as well, which paid off numerous times during the race. Looking at the race as a whole, we honestly accomplished everything that we set out to accomplish. We stayed cautious and kept our car clean for 79/80 laps, which we knew would put us in position for a great finish. It's just so difficult to maintain luck avoiding wrecks when they happen as frequently as they did last night. After we mentally recuperate, we'll just have to shift focus ahead and do what we have to do to get back on track. There are 19 more races, and we are poised for a lot of success.”

Don Fike stated, “I am really proud of Travis. He had very little experience bump drafting, and he prefers the short tracks, but you wouldn’t have guessed it. He drove a great race, and we are excited to see what he can do this season. I’d like to say a special thanks to Dan and Casey for all their hard work in the shop. They really put a great car together.”

RFMS Racing and Braden are excited for the next race on April 7 at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville. Follow the RFMS Racing team (@rfmsracing) on Facebook and Twitter for more news and results.

RFMS Racing would like thank all of our 2018 sponsors and fans for their support.

MatrixCare

Consonus Healthcare

RSM

Office Specialists

R.D. McMillen Enterprises

First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust

Holt Supply

Assurance Agency

Don Fike, President of RFMS Racing, has announced that he has hired Travis Braden to run the full ARCA schedule in 2018. 12/13/2017

Don Fike, President of RFMS Racing, has announced that he has hired Travis Braden to run the full ARCA schedule in 2018.

Founded in 1996, RFMS Racing has enjoyed considerable success with over 60 wins across the following series: NAMARS, UMARA, USAC Silver Crown, USAC National Midget, BADGER, Infiniti Pro, World Midget Championship, POWRi, and the ARCA Racing Series. RFMS Racing has competed off and on in ARCA since 2004, running the series full-time since 2016.

Braden has competed in the ARCA series part-time in family-owned cars since 2015. He won in his first-career start at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, and also posted top 10 finishes in his 4 other starts between 2015 and 2016, at Kentucky, Kansas, Michigan, and Chicago. He is well-known in the asphalt super late model community as a NASCAR Whelen All-American series Rookie of the Year and state champion, ARCA/CRA Super Series Rookie of the Year and two-time (back-to-back) champion of the series.

The Brownsburg, Indiana based team will be headed by crew chief Dan Glauz and car chief Casey Swift. Braden will also provide an additional hand in the shop throughout the year.

"After working with these guys for a month or so last season, I feel pretty blessed to get to join Don, Dan and Casey for an entire season and finish what we started in 2017," Travis explained. "After the first few weeks, we started to mesh well as a team and really make progress with these cars and finding speed. There's a lot more we know we can work on and that's going to be our goal. We have a baseline, and we know what seems to work well and where we need to focus some more attention. We're adding some new cars and equipment to the stable as well. Things are looking fantastic, and we are chomping at the bit to get the season started!"

Don Fike stated, “We couldn’t do this 2018 season without our loyal support of our sponsors. We would like to thank all the people that pitch in to make this happen.”

Sponsors include:

Liberty Village

MatrixCare

Consonus Healthcare

RSM

Office Specialists

R. D. McMillen Enterprises

First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust

Holt Supply

17th Place Finish at Kansas City Speedway10/23/2017

After promising runs at Chicago and Kentucky, RFMS Racing and Travis Braden hit the setup even better at Kansas Speedway for the ARCA Racing Series season finale this past Friday. Braden started in 11th position, and was making some good moves to the front of the pack but cut the right front tire around lap 40. He brushed the wall but was able to race the damaged MatrixCare, Consonus Healthcare, Liberty Village Ford to a 17th place finish.

“I was proud and anxious to be behind the wheel again, knowing that I'd have a great chance to pick a first-win on a superspeedway for myself and this deserving race team,” said Braden. “The effort showed right off the bat in practice, where we tied for P5. The field was very tight within the top 15 lap times, but I knew we had a top 10 car for qualifying, and more importantly, a top 3 car in race-trim. In qualifying, I was able to go wide open in turns 1-2, but made a mistake exiting turn 2 by hitting the apron ever so slightly, killing my chances at a top 5 lap in such a competitive field. We qualified 11th.”

“After the first yellow flag during the race we restarted 6th, but a wild restart sent us back outside of the top 10. As the run progressed, we eventually found speed in the high groove and found ourselves getting ready to break into the top 5. As I was making quick passes, I began to feel a slight vibration in the right front wheel. Within only a few laps the vibration suddenly worsened dramatically, and sadly our right front tire went flat, sending me hard into the turn 3 wall. The circumstances were emotionally very hard to overcome given the speed I knew we had and the progress we were making in the race. Nonetheless, we changed our tires and limped to the checkered flag with damage, in the 17th position.”

Braden went on to say, “Given the effort the RFMS Racing team put in for these final 3 races, I'm bummed that I couldn't bring enough luck to at least finish the races as well as we all know we could have. Given the chance to "redo," I would think 3 top 5 finishes would not be hard to imagine. A win would've been within reach without question. Nonetheless, I'm proud to say we gave it our best as a team. I couldn't ask for anything more. Thank you to the Fike family, the RFMS Racing team, and their fantastic sponsors for allowing us to go racing. It has been a great pleasure, and I hope that one day we could have the chance to pick up where we just left off!”

The RFMS Racing Team and Don Fike, Team Owner, would like thank all of our 2017 sponsors and fans for their support. It was a wonderful year full of memories and fun. Thank you to everyone.

Sponsors include:

Liberty Village

MatrixCare

Consonus Healthcare

RSM

Office Specialists

R. D. McMillen Enterprises

First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust

Holt Supply

Alton Winnelson

8th Place Finish at Kentucky Speedway09/25/2017

Travis Braden was back behind the wheel of the MatrixCare, Consonus Healthcare, Liberty Village Ford at yesterday’s Crosley Brands 150 at the Kentucky Speedway. Braden started in 10th position, got the #27 up into the top five toward the end of the race, and crossed the finish line 8th.

Braden said after the race, “This week in Kentucky was up and down. The new surface on the Speedway was very challenging and created a fine line to work with our chassis setup. Unfortunately, I feel that I personally was not able to help my team understand the issues I felt behind the wheel fully, and it hurt us in the race a bit. I've always put huge emphasize on training myself to give highly detailed feedback and having an in depth understanding of the car's setup and how to take advantage of it. It's something that I pride myself in and have mastered in the short track ranks, but this is a different animal. However, the amount of experience I've gained this week has undoubtedly taught me more than any "perfect" race would have. All of the chassis changes the RFMS crew worked on with me this week have given me a better understanding of these cars on these tracks, which is something that is necessary to keep improving. With a long break leading into the next race in Kansas, I'm excited to see how things turn out for us when we get to the season finale!”

Braden went on to say, “In terms of the race itself, it was another story of us fighting hard coming from mid-pack and having a shot at the very end of the race. We ran the early portion of the race in 10th place, making adjustments each pit stop. With 2 to go, we found ourselves restarting 4th after a few wild restarts late in the race. Starting in the outside lane was not the most ideal situation, and I fought hard through turns 1 and 2. One of the cars on the inside lane drifted up into my quarter panel off of turn 2 and it killed all of the momentum I had built up. With only 1 lap remaining, there was no time to recover. We took the checkered flag 8th, solidly in the top 10. I'm extremely appreciative of the warm welcome and support from RFMS Racing, the Fike family, and all of their sponsors.”

RFMS Racing and Travis Braden will be at the Kansas Speedway on October 20 to close out the ARCA season. Practice will begin at 9:30 AM, qualifying will be at 2:30 PM, and the race will start at 7:30 PM CDT. Follow the RFMS race team (@rfmsracing) on Facebook and Twitter for more news and results.

Don Fike, Team Owner, would like thank all of our 2017 sponsors and fans for their support. Sponsors include:

RFMS Racing and driver Travis Braden finished 11th at last night’s Scott 150 sponsored by Menards at Chicagoland Speedway, but the results are not a good indicator of how well the team ran. Braden Qualified 13th with a speed of 173.986. During the race, he brought himself to the front and stayed there for most of the night. In fact, Braden was able to lead the race for 12 laps.

Braden said after the race, “Although the stats sheet won’t show it, I am very proud of what these RFMS Racing guys pulled off in Chicagoland. We were up against some cup series caliber teams and drivers, using a short track car, and we managed to race near the front of the pack and even lead laps on older tires. With a little bit of luck at the end of the race, we’d have likely been battling for the win, but knowing that we were at least in the hunt is very promising. I’ve been overwhelmed this morning by the literally hundreds of fans, friends, family and competitors who have reached out to me and expressed how impressed they were by our performance. And I must emphasize how much it was “our” performance, because it took the cooperation and effort of every person on the RFMS Racing team to get us in that position and give me a chance to go for the win. Thank you to the sponsors, the Fike family, and all of our family, friends, and fans for making it possible and making it a blast!”

Dan Glauz, Crew Chief, said, “We pitted out of sequence hoping that we would get a break on a yellow. Being out of sequence, we needed the yellow, but unfortunately it was too late and we did not have a chance on the green-white to get back in the lead. I am very pleased with the effort of the team. We did not win but, believe me, people knew we were there. Travis did a wonderful job driving the RFMS #27 Ford Fusion. It is unfortunate that we did not get the finish we deserved, but our pit stops were flawless.”

The next race on the RFMS Racing schedule will be the Kentucky Speedway at the Crosley Brands 150 on September 22. Practice will begin at 1:00, qualifying is at 5:10, and the race will start at 8:00 PM EDT. Follow the RFMS race team (@rfmsracing) on Facebook and Twitter for more news and results.

Don Fike, Team Owner, would like to pay his compliments to our partners who have sponsored the team during the entire 2017 racing season. “Without them, we would not be able to do what we do,” said Fike. RFMS Racing sponsors include:

Liberty Village

MatrixCare

Consonus Healthcare

RSM

Office Specialists

R. D. McMillen Enterprises

First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust

Holt Supply

Alton Winnelson

Road America 100: 08/25/2017

The MatrixCare Consonus Healthcare Liberty Village Ford

#27 will be back in action at the motorsports complex in Plymouth, WI. A.J. Fike

will not be behind the wheel this time. Instead, veteran open-wheel and NASCAR

driver PJ Jones will be in the driver seat for the ARCA Racing Series presented by

Menards road course race.

“I’m very happy to be returning and driving for the Fike family again”, said PJ.

“Usually it’s in a midget at the Chili Bowl so I’m excited to drive a stock car at

Road America. It’s one of my favorite circuits. I have raced [both] IndyCars and

sports cars there.”

PJ’s racing career spans 5 decades ranging from go-carts, to Sprint Cars, to

IndyCar, to NASCAR, and more. Jones was the winner of the 1993 24 Hours of

Daytona. He also finished 4th at the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series race at

Watkins Glen, and second at the 1999 CART race at Nazareth.

“We're delighted to have a veteran road racer in the car, especially PJ”, owner

Don Fike had to say.

Road America is a four-mile, 14-turn road circuit that has challenged drivers for

from 8:50am – 9:30am CST. General Tire pole qualifying is set for 5:10 p.m and

the green flag will fly at 12:15pm CST on Sunday. The race will be tape-delayed

on MAVTV, but arcaracing.com will have live time and scoring along with a live

audio call.

A.J. Fike will be back in the seat to for the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds. Keep up

with A.J. Fike(Fikeaj@) and the RFMS race team(@rfmsracing) on Facebook,

Twitter, and Instagram for more news and results.

RFMS Racing wants to give a big thank you to our fans and official 2017

sponsors for your continued support!

Liberty Village

MatrixCare

Consonus Healthcare

RSM

Office Specialists

R. D. McMillen Enterprises

First Mid-Illinois Bank &amp; Trust

Holt Supply

Alton Winnelson

A.J. Fike finishes with a top 10 in Springfield: 08/21/2017

While it wasn’t the magical weekend we were all pulling for, it was still a great time to be at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

Saturday’s USAC Silver Crown Tony Bettenhausen 100 looked to start the weekend off right. Office Specialist and R.D. McMillen put on a great hospitality tent in the infield for some of A.J.’s biggest fans. DD Homes residents from Beardstown Terrace, Glenwood Terrace, Gaines Mill Place, Taylor House, and Eileen Court were there showing their full support. They were the first ones to purchase the brand new A.J. Fike racing t-shirts.

Practice started at 10am and Fike looked ready for action. He was able to get a couple laps in and was running 3rd quick in practice. Then, the unthinkable happened. There was a problem as he was driving into turn 3 and A.J. had to pull in. As bad luck would have it, there was a problem with the motor and Fike was done for the day.

“[The] car was really fast in practice in the crown”, said Fike. “We ended up in the top 5 and I think we had a really good car. It’s disappointing that we had motor problems, but that’s racing.”

The #3 team was able to bring the silver crown car into the infieldallowing the Racing for Others Program to get some great pictures of the residents with A.J. and his race car. It was definitely the highlight of the weekend for everyone involved.

The team and driver dusted themselves off and prepared for Sunday’s ARCA Racing Series Herr’s Potato Chips 100. A.J. started the race in the 7th position. Fike had a great start, bursting a head into 6th place quickly. Lap 3 brought out the day’s first of seven cautions. A.J. was able to get a strong restart and pushed his way into 4th. Lap 27 brought out another yellow flag and Fike headed into the pits for tires and adjustments. It would be his only pit stop of the day. The 4th caution of the daybroight the leaders in to pit, putting the #27 in 1st for the restart. A.J. would go on to lead 15 laps until the 6th caution of the day. There was a major pile up in turn 3 that brought out a red flag stopping the field on the track. Coming to the restart the engine couldn’t propel Fike around as fast as before and he lost a couple of spots. He was still able to bring the Matrixcare Consonus Healthcare Liberty Village Ford #27 to the checkered flag in the top 10 with an 8th place finish.

“The car got really hot during the red. The water gauge was almost pegged on the restart. The motor was loading it up with fuel trying to cool it down and [it] took a couple laps before I had full power. We had a good car; I think we had a car that could have won. But with the motor issue and the car getting looser at the end, it just wasn’t meant to be. Happy to roll the car in the trailer; there were a lot of torn up cars. Looking forward to racing both cars again at DuQuoin”, said A.J.

Keep up with A.J. Fike(Fikeaj@) and the RFMS race team(@rfmsracing) on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more news and results.

RFMS Racing wants to give a big thank you to our fans and official 2017 sponsors for your continued support!

Liberty Village

MatrixCare

Consonus Healthcare

RSM

Office Specialists

R. D. McMillen Enterprises

First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust

Holt Supply

Alton Winnelson

A.J. Fike hoping to make history in Springfield: 08/15/2017

Not since Al Unser, in 1972, has a driver won both the USAC Silver Crown Tony Bettenhausen 100 and the Menards ARCA Racing Series Herr’s Potato Chips (Allen Crowe) 100 in the same weekend. But A.J. Fike is looking forward to the challenge this Saturday and Sunday.

“This is by far my favorite race weekend each year. It’s great to see my family, friends, fans and sponsors at the track enjoying the races. I think we have a really good chance of sweeping the weekend”, Fike had to say.

In 2012, Fike won the Tony Bettenhausen 100 ending the 29 year drought for Illinois drivers. Before A.J., the last Illinois driver to win this race was Gary Bettenhausen, Tony’s son, in 1983. And in 2013, Fike was able to bring RFMS Racing back into victory lane for the second year in a row. A.J. was your pole winner and led the first 7 laps of the race. Lap 93, he was able to take back the lead and finish the last 7 laps all the way to the checkered.

A.J. also led his first three ARCA races on the Springfield Mile including his debut in 2004 where he won the pole position and led for 60 laps. In 2015, qualifying was canceled and A.J. had to start at the back of the pack in 25th. He was able to work his way up quickly and led 60 laps before the day’s 7th and final caution. In overtime, lap 103, the field went green and Fike was able to hold his lead all the way to the victory. That win put Fike and RFMS Racing in the record books alongside A.J. Foyt, Rodger Ward, Al Unser, Len Sutton and Roger McCluskey as one of only six drivers to win both races on the mile.

We look forward to seeing all of you that RSVP’d to the Race Day Tailgate on Saturday August 19th.

Keep up with A.J. Fike(Fikeaj@) and the RFMS race team(@rfmsracing) on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more news and results.

RFMS Racing wants to give a big thank you to our fans and official 2017 sponsors for your continued support!

Liberty Village

MatrixCare

Consonus Healthcare

RSM

Office Specialists

R. D. McMillen Enterprises

First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust

Holt Supply

Alton Winnelson

RFMS Racing brings home a top 5 from Winchester:08/07/2017

It’s been almost a year since Travis Braden has been in an ARCA car. Though he hasn’t run many races in the ARCA Racing Series, he’s no stranger to Winchester or to winning. In 2015, Travis won his debut ARCA race at the Lucas Oil Raceway and in 2016; he won the CRA Winchester 400. The RFMS Racing team put in a lot of work over the weekend to get the car set up for Sunday’s Winchester ARCA 200.

“The RFMS Racing guys did a fantastic job with the little time that we had to adjust the car in practice Saturday. The majority of our competitors tested here prior to the race. By the end of the race I felt that we were one setup change from being able to contend with the leaders, but it was a change that we couldn't make during a pit stop”, Travis had to say.

Even with that little amount of time, Braden was able to move into 7th before the final restart of the day. That final restart was intense to say the least. Coming up on 20 laps to go, debris caused the caution flag to fly one last time. With the field about to go back to green, the #55 car of Zane Smith just didn’t go falling out of the race with transmission problems. Braden was able to take advantage and move into 4th place where he held his position and got the MatrixCare Consonus Healthcare Liberty Village Ford #27 a top 5 finish.

“Since I knew we didn't quite have a shot at the front runners, I tried to lay in the weeds for most of the day and save as much as possible for the finish. We were still able to work our way up to 7th before the final restart, at which point I was able to catch some luck and jump up to 4th and ride there for the final 20 laps to the finish. I actually thought we might have a shot at 3rd place but I couldn't quite get to the #52's bumper. Nonetheless, it was very exciting grinding it to the finish in the top 5!” said Travis.

A.J. Fike finished 12th in the Fast Track Toyota #10 on Sunday.

“We were a little too loose in the beginning of the race. When the first caution came out we were able to make some good adjustments, but we had already gone a couple laps down. Either way, it was still great to be working with Andy [Hillenburg] again”, A.J. had to say.

A.J. and the RFMS Racing Team are looking forward to racing at the Illinois State Fairgrounds the weekend of August 19th and 20th. Fike had back-to-back wins in the Tony Bettenhausen 100 in 2012 and 2013. And in 2015, he won his first ARCA series race in the Allen Crowe Memorial 100.

Keep up with A.J. Fike(Fikeaj@) and the RFMS race team(@rfmsracing) on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more news and results.

RFMS Racing wants to give a big thank you to our fans and official 2017

sponsors for your continued support!

Liberty Village

MatrixCare

Consonus Healthcare

RSM

Office Specialists

R. D. McMillen Enterprises

First Mid-Illinois Bank &amp; Trust

Holt Supply

Alton Winnelson

Winchester ARCA 200 Suprise08/03/2017

Although you will still see the MatrixCare Consonus Healthcare Liberty Villiage Ford #27 on the track, you may be surprised by who is behind the wheel. Instead of A.J. Fike, Travis Braden will be driving for RFMS Racing on Sunday at the Winchester Speedway. Andy Hillenburg and Fike have been in talks for weeks about Hillenburg needing a driver for his #10 FastTrack High Performance Driving Toyotathis weekend.

"I started my ARCA career with Andy…we ran a full season together in 2004. He didn't have anyone to drive the car and we wanted to help him out. Travis had already tested the 27 at Lucas Oil and Winchester is one of his best tracks, so it made sense to put him in the 27 this weekend...at the same time, we had the opportunity to help Andy. He gave me my start here years ago,” said Fike.

He went on to say, "It's probably a one-off deal…I'm trying to help him out and at the same time, hopefully Travis can give the 27 a good run at Winchester. It's a really a situation where everyone's trying to help everyone out, to keep both programs going…hopefully it works out for all of us.

Both teams are looking forward to what this weekend will bring. You can catch the race on MAVTV Sunday at 2pm EST or follow live timing and scoring at arcaracing.com. Keep up with A.J. Fike(Fikeaj@) and the RFMS race team(@rfmsracing) on Facebook and Twitter for more news and results.

RFMS Racing wants to give a big thank you to our fans and official 2017 sponsors for your continued support!

Liberty Village

MatrixCare

Consonus Healthcare

RSM

Office Specialists

R. D. McMillen Enterprises

First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust

Holt Supply

Alton Winnelson

AJ Fike finished 16th in the No. 27 MatrixCare-Consonus Healthcare-Liberty Village Ford at the Toledo Speedway during the Menards 200 on May 21.05/22/2017

Brownsburg, IN – May 22, 2017 –

“There was no qualifying, due to weather, so we started 18th. We got up to 12th at one point, and we were running really good, but I got a flat right front tire on a restart about halfway through the race. We had to pit under green to get new tires, and that put us four laps down,” said driver, AJ Fike.

Although he will not be in the ARCA car again until June 3rd for the Shore Lunch 250 at Elko Speedway, Fike is looking forward to getting back into the #3 USAC Silver Crown car this Thursday, May 25th for the Hoosier 100. Thursday’s 100-mile race at the Indiana State Fairgrounds continues a tradition started in 1953, and is one of Fike’s three Silver Crown events this season.

RFMS Racing wants to give a big thank you to our fans and official 2017 sponsors for your continued support!

Liberty Village

MatrixCare

Consonus Healthcare

RSM

Office Specialists

R. D. McMillen Enterprises

First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust

Holt Supply

Alton Winnelson

Fike Finishes 11th at Talladega05/12/2017

Brownsburg, IN – May 12, 2017– AJ Fike finished 11th in the No. 27 MatrixCare-Consonus Healthcare-Liberty Village Chevrolet at the Talladega Superspeedway General Tire 200 on May 6th.

Practice was cancelled due to weather, so Fike started 8th based on owner points. “It took me a few laps to get comfortable, as I hadn’t been at Talladega for about 13 years. I was really hoping for a top 10 there, but I am happy with our finish. It is a fun track, and I am really looking forward to coming back next year and doing a bit better,” said driver, AJ Fike.

The RFMS Racing team is off this weekend, but will be at the Toledo Speedway for the Menards 200 on May 21 at 2:00 pm EDT. Practice will be May 20 starting at 12:30 pm EDT. The race will be aired on Fox Sports 1.

RFMS Racing wants to give a big thank you to our fans and official 2017 sponsors for your continued support!

Liberty Village

MatrixCare

Consonus Healthcare

RSM

Office Specialists

R. D. McMillen Enterprises

First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust

Holt Supply

Alton Winnelson

Tire Trouble in Salem05/03/2017

Brownsburg, IN – May 3, 2017– AJ Fike had tire trouble in the No. 27 MatrixCare-Consonus Healthcare-Liberty Village Ford and finished 15th in the ARCA Racing Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 this past Sunday.

“During that long green flag run, the car was very loose and just a battle to drive. I burned the right wheel right down to the chords. Then I got a drive through speeding penalty in the pits. The car was better after our pit stop, but because of the speeding penalty, we were just too many laps down. It just wasn’t our day, and really, I was happy to come away without wrecking the car,” said driver, AJ Fike.

AJ now turns his focus to Talladega Superspeedway – a track he hasn’t driven on for 13 years. “I like Talladega a lot, and I am excited to get back there,” said Fike.

The next race for the RFMS Racing team is Friday, May 5 at 5:00pm EDT at the Talladega Superspeedway General Tire 200. Practice will be that morning starting at 8:30am EDT. The race will be aired on Fox Sports 1.

RFMS Racing wants to give a big thank you to our fans and official 2017 sponsors for your continued support!

Liberty Village

MatrixCare

Consonus Healthcare

RSM

Office Specialists

R. D. McMillen Enterprises

First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust

Holt Supply

Alton Winnelson

Fike Races for the Win at Nashville 04/03/2017

Brownsburg, IN – April 3, 2017 – After seven weeks off, AJ Fike and the RFMS Racing team are back on the track Saturday April 8 at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville for the ARCA Racing Music City 200 presented by Azure Foundation. Fike finished 2nd last year at Nashville and is looking forward to getting back in the #27 MatrixCare-Consonus-Liberty Village Ford for the second ARCA race of the season.

“I feel pretty confident going into this race. Last year we qualified mid-pack and we worked our way to front as the race went on. I thought we had a shot at the win; we needed a yellow to see if we had anything on the winner,” said driver AJ Fike.

After the crash at Daytona the crew has been working hard to put together a fast car for Nashville.

“It’s a different car than we ran last year. I think it’s going to be even better. Dan Glauz (crew chief) and the guys had more time to fine-tune it. I know they will give me a good car and maybe with a little luck we can put it in victory lane,” said Fike.

So far there are 33 driver entries for the Music City 200 at the historic Nashville track.

“It’s a fun track. It’s one of the oldest tracks in the country and has a lot of history. A lot of drivers have come up through there and it would be great to get a win,” said Fike.

This is the second ARCA race of the season for the team and they are thrilled to be running the full schedule for 2017.

“I would just like to thank all the sponsors coming back this year: MatrixCare, Consonus, Office Specialists, RSM, RD McMillen, Liberty Village, Holt Supply, First Mid-IL Bank, and Alton Winnelson. We are really excited about doing the full ARCA schedule and we owe that to them. I feel really lucky to be able to do what I do,” said Fike.

The Music City 200 presented by Azure Foundation will air live on MAVTV.com Saturday at 8pm Central. General Tire Pole Qualifying begins at 4:15pm Saturday afternoon. ARCAracing.com will feature live timing and scoring and live chat of all on-track activity.

Father Fike full-ahead with ARCA in '17...Nashville next03/14/2017

TOLEDO, Ohio (March 12, 2017) -- ARCAracing.com caught up with AJ Fike during his recent trip to Lake Tahoe where the Galesburg, Illinois racer was enjoying a skiing vacation, a family tradition that goes way back.

"As kids, my brother and I would come out with our mom and dad," said Fike. "Then I didn't ski for six or seven years and decided to pick it back up again."

There's something else that Fike decided to pick back up again - that would be another full-time run at the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

"We're planning on doing the whole schedule," said Fike. "We'll be at Nashville. I like that track."

We could tell. Fike started mid-pack in last year's race and worked his way into winning contention, ultimately finishing second behind Josh Williams.

"It would have been nice to get a yellow to see if we could have gotten to Josh. I'm looking forward to going back."

Fike, an open-wheel star from Galesburg, Illinois, is also looking forward to coming back to ARCA fulltime. The last time he raced in a full ARCA season was in 2004, finishing seventh in national championship points.

"Our focus is on ARCA. We're still going to run our Silver Crown car at Springfield and DuQuoin, maybe Indy but that's probably it. ARCA is the main goal this year. We like the composite bodies and the ARCA Ilmor engine allows us the chance to be competitive with the bigger teams."

Unfortunately, he got caught up in a multi-car wreck in the Daytona season-opener, finishing 34th.

"We had to buy a speedway car for Talladega...it's a back-up for the 23 car."

Fike's Dan Glauz led crew is also outfitting newer composite cars for the season ahead.

"We actually updated our dirt car with a new composite body. That's going to be our intermediate car this year. The car we ran at intermediate tracks last year became our dirt car...that's also a composite. Our dirt car needed updated anyway and we made our other composite car a little nicer too.

"Everything's pretty-much updated. We've got new bodies on everything. This is the best we've ever been going into the season. Don't know what we're doing for the road course yet."

Fike also says he's enjoying the chance to race on some of the tour's bigger tracks, something he hasn't done much over the last 13 seasons.

"It's been a long time since we've raced on these bigger tracks. I enjoy going back to Pocono, Michigan, Kentucky and Kansas and we should run better than we did last year. Running the short tracks...the Salems, Winchesters, Toledos, the dirt...it's all exciting. We like the whole schedule."

Fike will also have a healthy mix of sponsors on his No. 27 Ford, including MatrixCare, Consonus Healthcare, Office Specialist, RD McMillen Enterprises, Liberty Village, Holt Supply and RFMS.

In addition to his second-place finish at Nashville, Fike also finished second last year on the Springfield (Ill.) mile dirt. Fike won at Springfield in 2015, which proved popular with his strong Illinois fan base. Fike is also a two-time Tony Bettenhausen 100 winner at Springfield in the USAC Silver Crown Series.

When Fike isn't working in his father's Liberty Village family business, he's busy raising his daughter Kylie, who just turned 16. While racing cars is always associated with an element of danger, Fike says it's nothing as scary as seeing his daughter drive away for the first time.

"She just turned 16 and just started driving. That's scarier than anything I've ever done. She's a good driver but seeing your girl drive off for the first time is scary. I wanted to go with her but she has to learn. She's a good kid...I can't complain. She plays volleyball, does track and plays clarinet in the band. She's a really good kid."

Brownsburg, IN – February 23, 2017 – It was an unfortunate start to the season for the RFMS Racing team. AJ Fike took a hard hit in the #27 MatrixCare-RSM-Office Specialists Chevy Impala on lap 50 of the ARCA Racing Lucas Oil 200 at Daytona Int’l Speedway on Saturday February 18.

“We started in the back. We got screwed in qualifying because not all the cars went out. We did group qualifying and wound up in a two car group instead of six car group, which makes a big difference drafting,” said driver AJ Fike.

Fike started 31st and made his way up to the 20th position.

“We were careful during the first half of the race and slowly moving up. Then the windshield got covered in oil and I couldn’t see anything but the yellow line so I had to pull in. We were fast all day and ran the 7th fastest race,” said Fike.

On lap 50, the #32 spun out in front and t-boned the #80 and Fike into the wall. There was nowhere to go for both cars. This caused Fike to lose his brakes and steering in addition to the rear-end catching on fire.

“I saw the #32 spin and I thought I missed it and the next thing I knew I got hit. It was a pretty scary hit,” said Fike.

AJ wasn’t injured in the wreck but is a little sore this week.

The team will be back on the track for the second race of the season in the ARCA Racing Music City 200 at Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville on April 8.

Fike Races Live on Fox Sports 1 at Daytona Int’l Speedway02/15/2017

Brownsburg, IN – February 15, 2017 – AJ Fike and the RFMS Racing team are back on the track Saturday February 18 at Daytona International Speedway for the first ARCA race of the 2017 season. Fike is eager to be back at Daytona; it has been 12 years since he last raced there in the NASCAR Busch car. He will be behind the wheel of the #27 MatrixCare-RSM-Office Specialists Ford.

“It’s really great to be back at Daytona. It’s been 12 years since I raced there in the Busch car and 13 years in the ARCA car. I am excited to get out and practice tomorrow and see how the car feels. Dan Glauz and the guys have a put a lot of work into getting the car ready for this weekend,” said driver AJ Fike.

“Daytona is high banked…you pretty much run wide open all the way around. The average speed is around 185. It definitely is one of the fastest tracks and the biggest race on the ARCA schedule. All the good cars and drivers come out with their best equipment to try to win here,” said Fike.

Daytona is one of five new races added to the RFMS Racing schedule for 2017. The team will be racing the full ARCA schedule and is in the hunt for the championship. Last year, the team finished 9th in driver points and 9th in owner points while racing a partial ARCA schedule.

“I am excited and blessed to be able to run the whole ARCA schedule this year…… Looking forward to having a good year,” said Fike.

The 54th running of the Lucas Oil Complete Engine Treatment 200 Driven by General Tire will air live on Fox Sports 1 Saturday at 4 pm Eastern. The first on-track activity will be practice Thursday afternoon from 4-6 pm, followed by final practice Friday morning from 9:30-10:30 am. Pole Qualifying, in group format, begins at 3:30 pm Friday afternoon. ARCAracing.com will feature live timing and scoring and live chat of all on-track activity Thursday through Saturday.

Fike and Neal Compete in the World’s Largest Midget Racing Event of the Year 01/06/2017

Brownsburg, IN – January 6, 2017 – The RFMS Racing team is back on the track next week for the world’s largest Midget racing event of the year. The Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire runs from January 10-14, 2017 inside the River Spirit Expo Center in Tulsa, OK. Drivers AJ Fike #69 and Jake Neal #3 (R) will be representing the team in the weeklong event.

The list of entries stands at 358 spread across four nights of qualifying from January 10-13 with only 24 A-Feature spots open for the January 14 finale.

Jake Neal #3 (R) qualifies the first night of racing on Tuesday, January 10. Neal comes to the Chili Bowl as a newcomer; however the 26 year-old Omaha native has years of dirt track racing experience. He started racing from an early age of five and has been behind the wheel of go-karts, dirt bikes, modified and late model stock cars, and quads. In 2008, Neal won a United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS) race and finished 10th in the national points. Since then, he has raced modified and late model stock cars and in 2016 he finished with 8 late model wins in 16 starts.

Veteran driver AJ Fike #69 qualifies the second night of racing on Wednesday, January 11. This is Fike’s 19th year of competing at the Chili Bowl Nationals and comes with years of open-wheel racing experience. AJ is a veteran of the ACRA, USAC Silver Crown, USAC Midget, NAMARS, and Badger Midget series; with career starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR Busch Series. His best career finish at the Chili Bowl was in 2002 when he qualified for the A-Feature event and finished 20th. He has also represented the State of Illinois by carrying the flag during open ceremonies.

The 31st Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals will air live on MAVTV.com and LucasOilRacing.TV on January 14. Please check your local listings for more information.

Fike Races Live on Fox Sports 1 Friday Night10/13/2016

Brownsburg, IN – October 13, 2016 – AJ Fike and the RFMS Racing team are back on the track Friday at Kansas Speedway for the ARCA Racing Kansas 150. Coming off a sold top-ten finish at Kentucky a few weeks ago, Fike is excited to get behind the wheel of the #27 MatrixCare-RSM-Office Specialists Ford for the last race of the season.

“I thought we had a good run at Kentucky and I am looking forward to carrying that momentum into the race tomorrow. It would be great to finish on a strong note,” said driver AJ Fike.

Kansas is one of the six additional races that were added to the RFMS Racing schedule this year. It will be Fike’s first ARCA race back on the track since 2004.

“It’s exciting to be back at Kansas again. I am grateful for the opportunity to race there. Again, it is all about the support of our sponsors,” said Fike.

Practice for the Kansas 150 is Friday, October 14 from 9:30 am to 10:25 am with final practice following from 10:35 am to 11:30 am. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell is slotted in for 2:25 pm. The 16th Kansas 150 is scheduled to start at 7:30 pm, with live coverage on Fox Sports 1. All times are local, central time. ARCAracing.com will also feature Live Timing and Scoring and Live Chat of all on-track activities.

Solid Top Ten Finish at Kentucky for the Team 09/29/2016

Brownsburg, IN – September 29, 2016 – AJ Fike and the RFMS Racing team finished 8th in the ARCA Racing Crosley 150 at Kentucky Speedway on September 23. Fike in the No. 27 MatrixCare-RSM-Office Specialists Ford participated in open testing the Tuesday before the race and qualified 16th for the 150 lapper.

“I thought it was a good race. We kept working our way up as the race went on. It was really difficult to pass because the track was so narrow after being repaved,” said driver AJ Fike.

Fike made his first top-ten finish on a 1.5-mile track this season.

“The car was really good the whole day. With 20 laps to go, we started on the high side and lost three or four spots. We ended up 8th but we really had a 5th place car,” said Fike.

The team will be back on the track for the last race of the season in the ARCA Racing Kansas 150 at Kansas Speedway on October 14. It will air on Fox Sports 1 at 7:30pm Central.

Fike Races Live on Fox Sports 2 Friday Night 09/22/2016

Brownsburg, IN – September 22, 2016 – AJ Fike and the RFMS Racing team are back on the track Friday at Kentucky Speedway for the ARCA Racing Crosley 150. To prepare for the upcoming race, Fike in the No. 27 MatrixCare-RSM-Office Specialists Ford participated in open testing on Tuesday, September 20 at Kentucky Speedway with 20 other drivers.

“Testing went good. I think we learned a lot. The last time we were here was in 2004 and it has changed some since then. They recently repaved the track, so it’s fast and narrow. Turns one and two are pretty high banked and three and four are pretty flat. It will make it pretty challenging to get around there,” said driver AJ Fike.

Fike is making his first debut at the track since 2004, when he competed in the full ARCA schedule. While it has been some time since he has raced here, he is excited for the opportunity.

“I am just excited that we were able to add six more races to the ARCA schedule this year, including this one, and I really owe that all to the extra support of our sponsors,” said Fike.

The Crosley 150 will air live on Fox Sports 2 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Friday night, September 23. The race will follow a busy day of on-track activities beginning with ARCA practice from 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell is scheduled at 4:40 p.m. ARCAracing.com will provide live timing and scoring and live chat for all on-track activities.

Fike Races Live on Fox Sports 1 Thursday Night 09/13/2016

Brownsburg, IN – September 13, 2016 – AJ Fike and the RFMS Racing team are back on the track Thursday at Chicagoland Speedway for the ARCA Racing Scott 150. Fike in the No. 27 MatrixCare-RSM-Office Specialists Ford is making his first debut at the track since 2004, when he competed in the full ARCA schedule.

“I am excited for the race on Thursday. It is a fun track and it’s been over ten years since I have raced there…. back in 2004,” said driver AJ Fike.

This year’s SCOTT® 150 at Chicagoland will set the stage for an exciting weekend of NASCAR racing action including Sprint Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series races. The weekend also kicks off NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup, the playoff system used to crown the 2016 Sprint Cup champion.

“There will be a lot of good drivers and cars there. I am really looking forward to having a good run… I also want to thank MatrixCare for supporting us this season and making the trip down for this race,” said Fike.

The SCOTT® 150 is live on Fox Sports 1 at 7:00 p.m. Central Thursday night, September 15. The race will follow a busy day of on-track activities beginning with ARCA practice from 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. local Central time. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell is scheduled at 4:10 p.m. ARCAracing.com will provide live timing and scoring and live chat for all on-track activities.

Fike Competes in Historic 100th ARCA Race at Salem09/09/2016

Brownsburg, IN – September 09, 2016 – Labor Day Weekend proved to be a tough weekend for the race team. In both races the car was fast but car problems halted the finish.

“We were fast all weekend. Saturday’s race we were in the top ten the whole race when I got a flat on the last lap going in to turn three,” said driver AJ Fike.

Fike qualified 7th for the Ted Horn 100 and continued to get faster throughout the race, making it up to 4th with 15 laps to go. Sunday night, Fike started 9th in the General Tire GRABBER 100 and had to pull the car in after battling overheating problems.

“The car was really good in the beginning of the race…. But they watered the track right before the race. It made it muddy and everybody started having the same problem with overheating. We came in a few times to try to cool it down. But we decided once we were three or four laps down to park it. We had a car that was capable of winning and it was a disappointment that that happened,” said Fike.

Now AJ Fike and the RFMS Racing team are looking forward to getting back on the track this Saturday at Salem Speedway for the historic 100th ARCA race at the track. The No. 27 MatrixCare-Consonus-RD McMillen machine will be driving into history in the Eddie Gilstrap Motors Fall Classic 200 presented by Meadow View/Salem Crossing.

“They are bringing a lot of people in for the race this weekend. Salem is always a tough track, it is physically and mentally demanding. Last year during the night race, we led some laps. Hopefully, we can bring some things we learned at that race to this weekend,” said Fike.

This Week’s Schedule: On track action will take place with first practice on September 10 from 12:30 - 1:15 p.m., with final practice between 1:45 and 2:30. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell follows at 4 p.m. The Eddie Gilstrap Motors Fall Classic 200 begins at 8 p.m. Saturday night.

Watch: The Eddie Gilstrap Motors Fall Classic 200 will be tape delayed on American Sports Network on September 28 at 7 p.m. Check AmericanSportsNet.com for your local listings.

Fike Does Double-Duty at DuQuoin 09/02/2016

Brownsburg, IN – September 02, 2016 – AJ Fike and the RFMS Racing team are back on the track Labor Day Weekend at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds for a double dose of dirt track racing. Saturday is the USAC Silver Crown Ted Horn 100 and Sunday is the ARCA Racing General Tire GRABBER 100.

Fike has had considerable success at the famed DuQuoin “Magic Mile” and considers it one of his favorite tracks. In the ARCA Series, Fike has won three Menards Poles presented by Ansell at DuQuoin in 2007, 2009, and 2010. His best ARCA finishes there include two 4th place finishes in 2007 and in 2009. Last year, Fike had solid weekend at DuQuoin with two top ten finishes both days.

Looking ahead to Saturday, there are 36 drivers entered for the Ted Horn 100 on Saturday night. Practice for the Silver Crown cars is slated for 5 p.m., with qualifying at 6:30p.m. and the 100-mile main event scheduled at 8p.m.

For Sunday’s ARCA race, it’s been almost 20 years since the ARCA Racing Series lined up at night on a dirt track, but that will soon change when the lights shine down on the 63rd running of the General Tire GRABBER 100 at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds.

Practice for the September 4 General Tire Grabber 100 is scheduled from 2:30 - 3:30 p.m., with Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell following at 5:30. The 63rd General Tire Grabber 100 starts at 8:00. All times are local.

The race will be tape-delayed on the American Sports Network. The race will also feature live timing and scoring and live chat for all on-track activity at ARCAracing.com, as well as live flag-to-flag audio race coverage.

Second Place Finish at Home Track for Fike 08/26/2016

Brownsburg, IN - August 26, 2016 – AJ Fike finished 2nd in the ARCA SuperChevyStores.com 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on Sunday. It was an especially exciting race day for the team since the Springfield Mile is considered Fike’s home track.

The field was lined up according to practice times after Menards Pole Qualifying was cancelled due to saturated infield conditions that backed up the schedule.

“We didn’t go out for qualifying and lined up based on practice times (started 10th). At the start we were really loose .We just hung on there till the first pit stop. We changed all four tires and made adjustments and the car got better during the race. The team did a great job,” said Fike.

“The track was a lot dustier than I have ever remembered. Not running the Silver Crown race the day before and the extra rain gave everyone for a loop. It wasn’t the normal Springfield track. There were a lot of times I couldn’t see,” said Fike.

Fike, in the No. 27 MatrixCare-Consonus-RD McMillen Ford, had eight restarts to choose from as caution after caution bunched up the field throughout the 100-lap/100-mile race, specifically over the back half.

“At the start of the race, I didn’t think we had a chance for a top-five. It was really a war of attrition and I think if we would have been tighter there at the end, we would have had a chance for the win. I just couldn’t get off turn four like we needed,” said Fike.

The next event for the RFMS Racing team is the USAC SC Series Ten Horn 100 at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds on September 3, followed by the ARCA Racing General Tire GRABBER 100 on Sunday.

TOLEDO, Ohio (August 10, 2016) – And now there's just one. Unless there's an entry out of nowhere, AJ Fike stands alone as the only driver who will attempt the "double" this year at the Illinois State Fairgrounds Mile Dirt.

The Galesburg, Illinois local favorite will take a run at both Illinois State Fair championship auto races this year, racing in Saturday's 55th Bettenhausen 100 in the USAC Silver Crown Series and in Sunday's grand finale, the 54th SuperChevyStores.com (Allen Crowe) 100 in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

As it turns out, Fike is pretty good at both, winning the Bettenhausen 100 in 2012 and 2013 and the SuperChevyStores.com ARCA 100 last year. Fike joins A.J. Foyt, Rodger Ward, Al Unser, Len Sutton and Roger McCluskey as one of only six drivers to accomplish the feat. To give it more punch, Foyt, Unser and Ward combine for 10 Indy 500 wins. Only Unser, in 1972, has won both events on the same weekend.

"Now that we've won both, it'd be nice to win both on the same weekend," Fike said. "Now that we've finally won the ARCA race, I'm confident we can do it again."

Certainly no driver these days would understand how to win both more than Fike.

"Depending on track conditions, you run a similar line with the Silver Crown and ARCA cars, at least at Springfield. But the Silver Crown car is way more forgiving. In the ARCA car, you have to keep those straight, not overdrive it, take what the car gives you, take care of the car, take care of tires...be there at the end. Both are fun to drive."

Fike was more than "there at the end" last year. Fike had a seven second lead with 10 laps to go, then survived two late-race restarts, and still won by 10 lengths at the final stripe.

Fike considers Springfield his home track, being from Galesburg, less than a two hour drive away.

"I've always considered Springfield my home track. I don't know what it is, but I wanna win at Springfield more than any other track. It's added pressure for me because I want it that bad."

Fike enjoys the State Fair nearly as much as he does the racing.

"That's a big part of it...I really enjoy the fair. After the race, I take my daughter to the fair, get a lemon shake and a dog definitely. Usually always go to the concert after the race. Last year we saw the Brantley Gilbert concert...great way to celebrate the win. It's usually a corn dog, pork chop on a stick and a ribeye sandwich...I can eat all three after a race.

"There's just something really special about Springfield. I remember going to Springfield for the Silver Crown race every year since I've been eight...I think Chuck Gurney won that first one. Nothing compares to Springfield, not for me anyway."

By Jay Hardin - Since 1965, stock cars and championship dirt cars have shared the last weekend at the Illinois State Fair. In the last 51 years, just 14 drivers have managed to make the starting lineup for both the Bettenhausen 100 and the Allen Crowe 100 on the last weekend of the fair.

When stock cars joined the Illinois State Fair lineup on Friday, August 20, 1965, young Mario Andretti slid behind the wheel of a Ford for the third running of the Allen Crowe Memorial while his Dean Van Lines Kuzma championship dirt car waited for Saturday’s Tony Bettenhausen 100. Andretti finished 11th in the Zecol Ford, then ran third to A.J. Foyt on Saturday. Six years would pass before another driver would try the “double” and it was none other than Foyt himself. For the first time the stock cars ran Saturday and Foyt finished 14th, and on Sunday he won the Champ dirt car event.

Al Unser and Ralph Ligouri were the next to make both main events in 1972 with Unser becoming the first driver to win both races on the same weekend. Unser tried again in 1973 but was unable to take a checkered flag in either event. Larry Moore (’76), Ken Schrader (’81, ’82, ’83), Gary Bettenhausen (’85, ’87) and Tom Bigelow (’87, ’89) also made both races. In fact, Bigelow became the first to run three races in the same weekend making the feature for the Rex Easton midget race as well.AJ Fike win Springfield 2015

Sixteen years would pass before anyone would make both races again. Young Justin Allgaier put his name in the history books in 2005 and started a newer trend of open wheel racers crossing over into ARCA stock cars for the Sunday show. Fike, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Brian Tyler, Chris Windom and Shane Cockrum all followed Allgaier’s lead.

Fike is the driver with the most starts in both races in the last 51 years, with nine, the last seven consecutive.

Practice for the SuperChevyStores.com 100 is scheduled from 9:00-10:00 a.m. with Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell following at 11:15. The 54th annual Central Illinois SuperChevyStores.com 100 starts at 1:30 p.m. All times are local.

Live on American Sports Network

The SuperChevyStores.com 100 will be live on the American Sports Network and will also stream live at AmericanSportsNet.com. ARCAracing.com will feature live timing and scoring and live chat of all on-track activity and a live chat box throughout the afternoon.

“We started off 8th and think we got down a lap or two. We were really fast at times but couldn’t make up those laps the rest of the race,” said driver AJ Fike.

Fike is looking forward to the upcoming ARCA race this Saturday, August 6. The RFMS Racing team will be running the No. 27 MatrixCare-Consonus-RD McMillen Ford in the Berlin ARCA 200 at Berlin Raceway in Marne, MI.

“I think we can have a good run at Berlin. I raced there a lot over the years in midgets, silver crown, and sprints. It’s a small paved track, a driver’s track for sure,” said Fike.

“It would be awesome if we could get a top five this weekend. I finished 2nd there in 2004. I just want to thank all the sponsors for being so supportive this year and sticking with us,” said Fike.

On-track activities for the Berlin ARCA 200 begin with two practice sessions starting at 2:30pm and final practice at 3:45pm. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell is at 6:00pm with the Berlin ARCA 200 scheduled to start at 9:00pm. All times are Eastern.

The 29th running of the Berlin ARCA 200 is live on the American Sports Network at 9:00pm. AmericanSportsNet.com will stream the race live. ARCAracing.com will feature live timing and scoring and live chat of all ARCA Racing Series on-track activities. All times are local/Eastern.

Fike Races Live on Fox Sports 1 Friday Night07/19/2016

Brownsburg, IN – July 19, 2016 – AJ Fike finished 12th in the ABC Supply 150 at Iowa Speedway on Saturday, July 9. It was a frustrating weekend for the No. 27 team.

“We qualified 15th and were just a little bit off the entire race. We didn’t have that many yellows and just couldn’t make it up,” said driver AJ Fike.

Fike is looking forward to the upcoming ARCA race this Friday, July 22. The RFMS Racing team will be running the No. 27 MatrixCare-Consonus-RD McMillen Ford in the Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200 presented by Jive at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis.

“I am looking forward to IRP…. It’s a fun track and I’ve spent a lot of time there racing sprints, midgets, silver crowns. It’s a tough old half mile track; seems like you’re always in traffic or battling with someone there. Should be an exciting weekend with the NASCAR race in town at the Brickyard,” said Fike.

The RFMS Racing team spent some time testing at Lucas Oil Raceway last week in preparation for the ARCA race.

“We had a great test there last Thursday (July 14). That track seems to change from day to day, so we won’t know what we’ll get until race day,” said Fike.

Friday will consist of two practice sessions starting at 12:35PM CT, followed by a final practice at 2PM. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell is at 4:30PM. Pre-race ceremonies and driver introductions begin at 7:30PM with the green flag waving at 8PM. Fans can follow along online at arcaracing.com for live practice and qualifying updates.

Fans will be able to watch the race live Friday evening on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 8PM CT.

Former Iowa winner AJ Fike eyes another in Newton 07/06/2016

TOLEDO, Ohio (June 30, 2016) – Galesburg, Illinois’ AJ Fike, driver of the No. 27 MatrixCare-Consonus Healthcare-RD McMillen Ford Fusion, will be one of only a short handful of winners in the field who have already experienced the thrill of victory lane at Iowa Speedway when the 10th annual Iowa ARCA 150 presented by Casey’s General Stores rolls off Saturday night July 9 in Newton, Iowa.

Fike is actually in an exclusive category altogether, because his win at Iowa came aboard a USAC Silver Crown Series open wheel machine back in 2010. Despite the big difference between the Silver Crown car and the ARCA car, Fike says the line around Iowa is very similar, if not exactly same.

“You get a little more sensation in speed in the Crown car…you’re more wide open, but I’d say the line around Iowa is no different from the Crown car to the ARCA car.

“The grooves are changing at Iowa because it’s starting to wear out. There’s actually more lines to work with now that the track has got some bumps and wear and tear on it. Now you move around the track to make the car work where it wants to.

“What started out as one groove when it was new has become multiple grooves. The lines are getting wider…you’re definitely running a lot higher on the track than you used to.”

Fike finished 12th on the lead lap in the ARCA race at Iowa last year. But he’s coming back for a lot more this year. Fike, in fact, is on a bit of roll, winning the ARCA race on the Springfield (Ill.) dirt mile last year, and finishing second at Nashville this year. Fike will be campaigning the new ARCA composite body car at Iowa. Fike most recently finished seventh at Michigan Int’l Speedway in a composite car, eighth at Madison and seventh at Winchester.

“We’re definitely starting to figure them out. We’ve got two composite cars now, one for our short track program and one for the speedways. We still have our steel car for the dirt. We’ve been convinced that the composite cars are the way to go…it’s definitely the future of the series.”

The composite bodies, made by Five Star Race Car Bodies, are a lightweight, state-of-the-art laminate blend, less than 135 pounds. Designed without compromising rigidity, the 12 separate flame retardant panels are flange-fitted together for easy installation in the shop or at track.

“If you damage the fender, or whatever, you can just pop a new one on or fix the one you have. It’s a lot better than it used to be when you had to send the whole car to North Carolina to put a whole new body on it. We love the composite…it was the right move. That, and they look really sharp. I think the fans love ‘em too.”

No Repeat ARCA Winners at Iowa In nine previous ARCA races at Iowa since the inaugural event in 2006, there have been no repeat winners. Steve Wallace won the first ARCA race at Iowa, and hometown hero Mason Mitchell won the most recent in 2015. Other ARCA winners at Iowa include Frank Kimmel (2007), Matt Hawkins (2008), Parker Kligerman (2009), Tom Hessert (2010), Ty Dillon (2011), Alex Bowman (2012), and Grant Enfinger (2013). Dillon is the only repeat Menards Pole winner at Iowa, having done it in 2010 and 2011.

ARCA Iowa Schedule/Media Practice for the Iowa ARCA 150 is from 11:30 – 1:00 p.m. Saturday with Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell following at 3:15. The Iowa ARCA 150 is live on FS2 at 8 p.m. local Central time. Live Timing and Scoring and live Chat will also be available at arcaracing.com.

Brownsburg, IN - June 16, 2016 – AJ Fike finished 7th in the Corrigan Oil 200 at Michigan International Speedway on Friday, June 10. It was a solid finish for the No. 27 team, who hasn’t run there in 12 years.

“Qualifying got cancelled due to time constraints and we started 9th based on practice times.I fell back in the start to get a feel for what the car felt like in the draft…back to 15th. Then we had a yellow around lap 30; we pitted for fuel only, restarted up front and stayed there the rest of the day,” said driver AJ Fike.

Fike made it up to 5th on lap 50 and stuck in the top-ten the rest of the race.

“We did a green flag pit stop towards end of the race. It was the first time we have done one; this is the longest track we have raced on this year… We took two tires, but possibly could have taken four. Overall, I feel like we had a really solid run,” said Fike. Michigan is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped speedway.

Fike and the RFMS Racing team will be running the No. 27 MatrixCare-Consonus-RD McMillen Ford in Sunday’s ARCA Racing Montgomery Ward Father’s Day 200 at Madison International Speedway.

“We are going to be good at Madison. It’s a pavement half-mile track made of old worn out pavement,” said Fike. The last time the team raced at Madison was in 2014 and the car was wrecked.

The ARCA Racing Series composite body car will be making its Madison debut on Sunday, and the RFMS Racing No. 27 will be one of the composite bodies out on the track. The composite body cars debuted on short tracks in 2015; however, it’s been since 2014 that the ARCA tour has raced at Madison. The composite bodies, which greatly reduce the possibility of debris, are a lightweight, state-of-the-art laminate blend, less than 135 pounds. Designed without compromising rigidity, the 12 separate flame retardant panels are flange-fitted together for easy installation in the shop or at track.

Practice for the ARCA Racing Series at Madison is scheduled for Saturday, June 18 from 12:30-1:15 p.m., followed by final practice from 1:45-2:30. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell is at 4:00.

Raceday Sunday gets started with an on-track autograph session from Noon – 1 p.m., followed by pre-race ceremonies and driver introductions at 1:30. The 200-lap Montgomery Ward Father’s Day 200 at Madison begins at 2:00 p.m. Central Sunday afternoon, June 19. The race will also feature live timing and scoring and live chat at ARCAracing.com.

The Montgomery Ward Father’s Day 200 will be broadcast live on the American Sports Network (ASN). Race fans can also see the live broadcast at AmericanSportsNet.com. Coverage on ASN at Madison begins at 2:00 p.m. local Central time.

Brownsburg, IN - June 8, 2016 – AJ Fike finished 27th in the “Hoosier Hundred” USAC Silver Crown race at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on Thursday May, 26. It was a tough night for Fike who had to pull off early in the race due to brake failure.

“We had a top three car. We qualified 10th and within the first ten laps of the race I lost my brakes and had to pull in. Luckily, I was able to keep the car in one piece,” said driver AJ Fike.

Fike and the RFMS Racing team will be running the No. 27 MatrixCare- RSM-Office Specialists Ford in Friday night’s ARCA Racing Corrigan Oil 200 at Michigan International Speedway.

“I think we are going to have a good car this weekend. We had a great test there a few weeks ago and learned a lot about the setup and have been able to take that back to the shop and make some positive changes,” said Fike.

This is the first time the team has been back to Michigan International Speedway since 2004. “The track has changed a lot since I last raced there 12 years ago. It has been repaved and has a lot of grip now,” said Fike.

Two practice sessions get things going for this year’s Corrigan Oil 200 Thursday afternoon, June 9 from 1:00 p.m. to 1:55 p.m., followed by final practice from 2:05 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Menards Pole Qualifying is scheduled for Friday morning at 1:40 p.m. Fans will be able to watch the Corrigan Oil 200 live on Fox Sports 1 Friday at approximately 5:45 p.m.

“Overall we have good car; we started 15th and were running between 6th and 8th for most of the race. Then we started oiling around lap 130 and had to pull the car in around lap 145 because we had a broken rear-end pump. We had a top-ten car,” said driver AJ Fike.

Fike and the RFMS Racing team will be running the No. 3 Office Specialists- RSM Beast/Foxco in tonight’s “Hoosier Hundred” USAC Silver Crown race at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The 100-mile race at the Fairgrounds has tradition dating back to 1953, and it is considered one of the richest and most prestigious open wheel races in the United States. Seven winners of the Hoosier Hundred have also won the Indianapolis 500, including A.J. Foyt, who has won it six times. The event takes place at the one-mile dirt oval at the fairgrounds complex, known as the "Track of Champions”.

“I am excited for tonight’s race. There is a lot of history here going back to the 50’s. Last year we led over half of the race and ended up fourth. Should be a fun night, if the weather holds up,” said Fike.

The pit gates will open at noon today, grandstands at 3:00, with hot laps set to begin at 5:00. Racing begins with the UMP Modifieds at 7:00 with the Hoosier 100 scheduled for an 8:00 green flag.

Fike Hits Pavement at Toledo after Week of Testing 05/20/2016

AJ Fike and the RFMS Racing team hit the pavement at Toledo Speedway this weekend in the No. 27 MatrixCare-Consonus-RD McMillen Ford for the ARCA Racing Series Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care, after testing there earlier this week.

“We tested at Toledo all day on Monday and had a good test. The new car felt great. We tried a couple things on the setup and I think we got a good car for this weekend,” said driver AJ Fike.

“We had a solid finish there last year with fourth and are looking to move up a few spots on Sunday,” said car owner Don Fike.

“I am looking forward to the race on Sunday. I love this track and I have a lot of experience there. I raced a number of different types of cars there over the years,” said AJ Fike.

ARCA Racing Series on-track activities begin Saturday, May 21 with two practice sessions from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1:00 to 1:45 p.m. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell follows at 3:30pm. Raceday Sunday gets underway with an on-track driver autograph session from 12 noon to 1:00pm. Pre-race ceremonies and driver introductions follow. The Menards 200 is scheduled to start at 2:00pm Eastern.

The race will be televised live on American Sports Network. Fans seeking to find local ASN affiliates can do so by visiting AmericanSportsNet.com and clicking on the schedule button at the top of the home page. Click on the ARCA Racing Series Menards 200 in the schedule, insert your zip code under “Find your station,” and submit. Visitors receiving a message stating that the program is not available in their area can watch the stream live on ASN’s website.

Big thanks to our fans and official 2016 sponsors for your continued support!

Fike Struggled to Make Up Ground after Broken Alternator Belt at Salem04/29/2016

Brownsburg, IN - April 29, 2016 – AJ Fike in the No. 27 MatrixCare-RSM-Office Specialists Ford finished 14th in the ARCA Racing Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 this past Sunday. It was a tough day for the team. Fike broke an alternator belt during Menards Pole Qualifying, which put him at the end of the field for the start of the race.

“We had to go to the tale because we broke the alternator belt. We never seemed to make up ground. The car was tight all day. It just wasn’t our day,” said driver, AJ Fike.

“Early in the race we got caught up with another car, and got a hole in the front nose piece. Had we not got tangled, we might have had a top ten finish, but we did the best that we could considering the circumstances. All we can do now is look forward to our next race at Toledo,” said car owner, Don Fike.

“We really appreciate the support of our 2016 season sponsors,” said AJ Fike.

The next race for the RFMS Racing team is Sunday, May 22. Fike will suit up for the ARCA Racing Menards 200 Presented by Federated Car Care at Toledo Speedway.

Fike Hits Pavement at Salem Speedway this Weekend04/20/2016

Brownsburg, IN - April 20, 2016 – AJ Fike and the RFMS Racing team hit the pavement at Salem Speedway this weekend in the No. 27 MatrixCare-RSM-Office Specialists Ford in the ARCA Racing Series Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200. It should prove to be another great race for the team.

“I am looking forward to Salem this weekend. We led laps and finished seventh there last year, and we are using the same car as Nashville. I think we have a top three car a and a good chance to get a win,” said AJ Fike.

The Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 will spread out over two days, Saturday and Sunday, April 23-24. Practice for the race will include two sessions Saturday afternoon from 12:00 noon to 12:45 and final practice from 1:15 to 2:00, with Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell at 3:30. Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 raceday festivities get underway with an on-track driver autograph session from 11:30 to 12:30 followed by the Great American Stock feature event at 1:00. Pre-race ceremonies, ARCA driver introductions and the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 follow. The race will be recorded and broadcast at a later date on American Sports Network.

Brownsburg, IN - April 12, 2016 – AJ Fike finished 2nd in his first ARCA Race Series start of the 2016 season at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville in the Music City 200, proving to be a hot start to the season for the team.

“We didn’t qualify like we wanted (14th) but we knew the car had good long run speed,” AJ Fike said.

“We got bottled up in the start and fell back to 17th. We had our work cut out for us. We came in for the only pit stop of the night and changed all four tires and battled back one car at a time,” said car owner, Don Fike.

Fike, in the No. 27 MatrixCare-RSM-Office Specialists Ford, gambled on pit strategy, taking four fresh tires under caution on lap 84 when several of the front-runners took only two. Those that opted for the two tire stop were hoping for a late-race caution…a caution that never came.

“We took all four tires, which was an excellent call by Crew Chief, Dan Glauz. We made our way up to second, and with so much lap traffic, I just wanted to ride it out, take care of the car and make it to the finish,” said AJ Fike.

“Besides the start, we never got passed all night. It was a great way to start the season on a high note,” said car owner, Don Fike.

The Music City 200 will broadcast on June 2, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. EST on American Sports Network.

The next event for the RFMS Racing team is the ARCA Racing Series Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 at Salem Speedway on April 24.

Fike Gears Up for First Race of the Season at Nashville04/07/2016

The RFMS Racing season starts with a bang this Saturday April 9 at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, TN. Driver, AJ Fike, will be behind the wheel of the #27 MatrixCare-RSM-Office Specialists Ford in the ARCA Racing Series Music City 200.

“I am excited to start the season off at Nashville. We are going to have a great car and a great crew. The car we are using led laps at Salem last year and finished 7th. I think we have a good chance of finishing with a top five at Nashville,” said AJ Fike.

“We wouldn’t be here, racing 15 ARCA races this season, without the support of our sponsors. I would like to thank MartixCare, Consonus, Office Specialists, RSM, RD McMillen, First Mid-IL Bank, Holt Supply, and Alton Winnelson,” said car owner, Don Fike.

The Nashville race will be televised on the American Sports Network. ARCA officials announced March 29th that they entered into a multi-year agreement with American Sports Network (ASN) to broadcast the ARCA Racing Series, beginning in 2016. ASN’s coverage of the ARCA Racing Series will kick off with the April 9 race from Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville. In all, ASN will broadcast nine ARCA events in 2016, including five live broadcasts.

Catching up with AJ, expanding ARCA schedule for '16, starts at Nashville03/05/2016

TOLEDO, Ohio (March 5, 2016) – It won’t be long before AJ Fike will be climbing back into his ARCA car for his 2016 show opener at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville, coming April 8-9.

“She’s a freshman in high school and she plays in a traveling volleyball tournament…been doing that for the last two months, but we’re about to wrap that up for the year.”

When he’s not doing that, Fike works for his father through the week and getting prepared for his race season ahead, which is going to include a lot more ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards racing in 2016.

“Right now, if we don’t tear up a bunch of equipment, we’re planning to run everything except Talladega, the road course and both Poconos. But everything else is on the schedule.”

Fike’s 2016 campaign will also include some USAC Silver Crown Series racing. We’ll probably run Toledo, IRP (Lucas Oil Raceway) and the dirt miles, and that may be all on the Silver Crown side. We’re going to focus more on the ARCA schedule this year. Dan Glauz will be the crew chief on the ARCA side. We only have three full-time guys for both ARCA and Silver Crown, so it’s a lot to manage.”

Fike, a two-time winner of the USAC Tony Bettenhausen 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, added his career-first ARCA win last year at Springfield, a very popular victory for the Galesburg, Illinois driver.

But for now, it’s back to the other fairgrounds to start the season.

“Yep, we’ll be at Nashville…looking forward to it.”

Fike got caught up in a skirmish last year at Nashville that resulted in a wall-banger that put him out of competition with just 67 laps complete.

“Nashville is its own animal. It took me a while to figure it out…all the bumps. There isn’t a lot of grip…it’s definitely a driver’s track. Last year we struggled early on, but we changed our line and got going pretty good. I think we have a good chance for a top-five this year. If we don’t come out with at least a top-10, I’ll be disappointed.”

Fike works with a variety of spotters on the ARCA side throughout the year, basically whoever he can get based on where he’s racing.

“(Andy) Hillenburg spotted for me last year…he does a great job. Dan (Glauz) spotted a few times, but it’s kind of hard to spot and be the crew chief at the same time.”

Liberty Village and McGladrey Ford will be returning as sponsors on Fike’s ARCA car in ’16, along with MatrixCare, which debuted on Fike’s No. 27 Ford Fusion in ‘15.

“We had MatrixCare in a suite at Iowa Speedway last year. They loved it, and are very excited about coming back this year, and we’re certainly looking forward to having them back.”

Fike Ends ARCA Season on a High Note; Leading 22 Laps at Salem 09/22/2015

Brownsburg, IN - September 22, 2015 – A.J. Fike finished 7th in the Federated Car Care Fall Classic ARCA race at Salem Speedway this past Saturday. While 7th was a solid finish, it doesn’t reflect how impressive the RFMS Racing team’s performance was.Owner, Don Fike, stated, “It was a tremendous run for AJ on a high bank track. The entire team was pumped.”

Fike qualified 12th for the 200-lap race set at the historic track in southern Indiana. The team had limited practice on the track going into the race; it had been 11 years since Fike and the team had raced at Salem.

The first 97 laps Fike ran in the top-ten and stayed on the lead lap. A yellow came out on lap 97, and Crew Chief, Dan Glauz, brought Fike in to the pits for a four tire pit stop and he came out in 12th.

When the race went green on lap 101, Fike marched his way to the front and took the lead at lap 144. He led the race from lap 144 to 165, for a total of 22 laps. Up until lap 190, Fike was holding a solid 2nd position, but his tires were used up for the last 10 laps and he fell back to 7th position.

Normally teams get 10 tires per car, 4 tires to start the race and 6 tires for pit stops. However, on Saturday, there was a shortage of tires and each team received 8 tires instead. “We looked really good out there. If we wouldn’t have used up all our tires, AJ was fast enough to win,” said Don Fike.

“We finished 7th, but the car was better than that. We learned a lot at Salem. It had been 11 years since we ran there.I think it was a great way to end our ARCA season and I am really looking forward to an even better season next year,” said driver, AJ Fike.

A.J. will be driving the RFMS Racing Liberty Village-McGladrey #3 car this Saturday at Eldora Speedway for the second to last USAC Silver Crown race of the season.He currently is third in points.

AJ Fike and the RFMS Racing team is back on the track tomorrow at Salem Speedway in Salem, Indiana 09/18/2015

AJ Fike and the RFMS Racing team is back on the track tomorrow at Salem Speedway in Salem, Indiana for the Federated Car Care ARCA Classic 200. The race will not be televised but will be available live online for pay-per-viewing at $9.98 on arcaracing.com. The broadcast will start at 6:30PM Eastern with the pre-race show and the race with go-green at 7:15PM.

The team is coming off a solid weekend at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, where Fike finished 7th in the Silver Crown race and 6th in the ARCA race. We would like to thank all of our fans in southern Illinois for making it out to the races and supporting our team!

Currently, Fike is 3rd in USAC Silver Crown points going into the last two SC races of the season.

AJ Fike and the RFMS Racing team is back on the track Labor Day Weekend at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds 09/04/2015

AJ Fike and the RFMS Racing team is back on the track Labor Day Weekend at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds for a double dose of dirt track racing. Sunday is the USAC Silver Crown Ted Horn 100 and Monday is the ARCA Racing Southern Illinois 100 presented by Federated Car Care. The 100-lap USAC race will take place at 8:00PM on Sunday night and the 100-lap ARCA race will be Monday afternoon at 1:30PM.

The team is coming off a big ARCA win at the Illinois State Fairgrounds a few weekends ago. We would like to thank all the supporters who came out to the track on Saturday and Sunday. We would especially like to thank Office Specialists for cohosting a wonderful event on Saturday. Attached are some pictures from the weekend.

A.J. Fike won his first ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards race Sunday08/23/2015

A.J. Fike won his first ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards race Sunday, becoming the 10th driver of the season to pick up their first victory. And, the Galesburg, Ill. native did it in his home state.

“I’m kind of at a loss for words right now,” Fike said in victory lane, surrounded by a throng of supporters.

Fike actually dominated the SuperChevyStores.com 100 at the mile dirt at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. He led 60 of the 104 laps and had a lead of nearly seven seconds with 10 laps to go. He survived a late restart to win over Kyle Weatherman by 0.759-seconds. Fike’s previous career best was second at Berlin Raceway in 2004.

“The car was perfect off the trailer,” Fike said. “I can’t say enough about everyone on the team, my pit crew, my dad. This is a great win for us. It’s very exciting.”

AJ Fike and the RFMS Racing team is back on the track this Saturday08/06/2015

AJ Fike and the RFMS Racing team is back on the track this Saturday in the ARCA Racing Federated Auto Parts 200 at Berlin Raceway. The 200-lap race will take place at 8:50pm Eastern in Marne, MI. This race will not be televised, but the next ARCA race on Sunday August 23rd at the Illinois State Fairgrounds will be televised on CBS Sports at 1:30pm Central.

The team is coming off a weekend in Belleville, KS, where Fike finished 11th in the “Hustle on the High Banks” USAC Silver Crown race. Fike currently is 4th in USAC Silver Crown Series points.

Schedule of events for the Federated Auto Parts 200 at Berlin Raceway

Sat, August 8

2:30-3:15 PM

ARCA Racing Series Practice

3:45-4:30 PM

ARCA Racing Series Final Practice

5:45 PM

Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell (all positions / 2 laps)

8:00 PM

ARCA Racing Series On-Track Autograph Session

8:30 PM

ARCA Racing Series Pre-Race Ceremonies Begin

8:50 PM

Start of the Federated Auto Parts 200 (200 laps / 88 miles)

May 17th, 2015 – Toledo Speedway

AJ Fike and the RFMS team were testing at Toledo Speedway yesterday, in preparation for the “Menards 200” presented by Federated Car Care on Sunday May 17th at 2pm. Practice will take place tomorrow at 11:45am and 1:00pm, with Menards Pole Qualifying Presented by Ansell at 3:30pm. Hopefully, the rain will stay away!

Race Details: Track: Toledo Speedway Series: ARCA Racing Series

Date: Sunday May 17th

200 Lap Race starts @ 2:00pm

Fike Captures a Top 3 Finish in SC Season Opener 05/02/2015

The RFMS team started off the night at Toledo with a tough qualifying session. Fike spun out in qualifying, putting him in last for the start of the 100 lap race.

However, Fike made up for qualifying early in the race as he quickly made his way up in the field. By lap 20, Fike was up to 10th place and 22 laps later, he was sitting in 6th place and looking to move up.

At lap 48, Tanner Swanson caught a wheel in the front stretch and went airborne into the catch fence in turn one, bringing out the red flag for 30 minutes.

The second half of the race, Fike was able to pass for 3rd, but didn’t have the tires to take a 2nd or 1st place finish. It was great run for the first SC race of the season!

"I really felt like we were just as fast as the leaders before the red, but I just screwed up qualifying to put us in a hole. We didn't need the red; our tire sealed up and we weren't as good after that. Starting last row, I had to use my stuff up a little bit to get to where we got. I can't complain, though - my group did a great job tonight," Fike said.

17th to 3rd tonight a good start to the silver crown season05/01/2015

A.J. Fike finished 3rd tonight at Toledo in the SC season opener! Fike started at the back of the pack in 17th and worked his way up to a top three. What a great way to start the 2015 SC season!

Silver Crown SEASON OPENER TOMORROW:04/30/2015

AJ Fike and the RFMS team will be racing at Toledo Speedway tomorrow tonight in the Rollie Beale Classic 100 USAC Silver Crown season opener! The team was at Toledo this past Sunday practicing for the event.

RACE RESULTS: Wreck Finishes Fike Early in the Race 04/11/2015

April 11th, 2015- Fairgrounds Speedway NashvilleFike went out for practice on Saturday afternoon, coming in 13th fast our of 31 cars in the first practice and 15th quick in the second practice. For qualifying, Fike drew fourth and came in 19th quick, putting him in the middle of the pack for the start of the ARCA Racing Troop Aid 200 at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville. For the first 50 laps of the race, Fike continued to feel more comfortable on the track and was moving up in the pack. Around lap 60, Fike was passing for twelfth, when he was pushed up into the wall, leaving him nowhere to go. Car owner, Don Fike, said that he thought the team had a top-ten car. Unfortunately, the ARCA car won’t be ready for the next ARCA race scheduled for Salem on April 26th, but the team will be back on the track on May 1st for the first Silver Crown race at Toledo Speedway.

THIS WEEKEND: Fike Competes in Team’s 2015 Season Opener at Nashville 04/09/2015

April 11th, 2015 – Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville

The RFMS Racing team is back on the track this weekend, with AJ Fike driving the #27 Liberty Village-McGladrey Ford machine in the ARCA Racing Series Troop Aid 200 at the Fairgrounds Speedway. It's the first appearance for ARCA at the Fairgrounds since 1992, and will be Fike’s first time at the banked 0.596 mile paved oval. There has been considerable interest in the race, with an entry list of 31 drivers and growing. The track is located at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds near downtown Nashville, Tennessee, and is the second oldest continually operating track in the United States. There is a lot of rich history there, with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing there from 1958 to 1984.

For Saturday’s race, practice and qualifying will take place in the afternoon, with the first practice at 12:15pm, the final practice at 1:45pm, and qualifying at 4:15pm. The 200-lap race will be available to watch live online at www.arcaracing.com for $29.95. For more information about the race, please visit:

Big thanks to our fans and official 2015 sponsors for your continued support!04/09/2015

Liberty Village

McGladrey

Office Specialists

R. D. McMillen Enterprises

Consonus Healthcare

MatrixCare

First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust

Holt Supply

Fike Finishes Silver Crown Season with a Strong 2nd in New York 10/12/2014

October 10-11th - New York State Fairgrounds

A.J. Fike qualified 3rd for the 78-lap USAC Silver Crown race this past Saturday at the New York Fairgrounds. For the first half of the race, Fike stayed glued to second place Kody Swanson. Around lap 50, Fike and Swanson began to gain ground on race leader Bobby East. Swanson passed East for lead.

Fike was the pursuer over the final ten laps, moving past East for second and coming after Swanson for the top spot. He had a shot at the win in the final two laps, but a move to the outside while negotiating a slower car sent him out of the groove through turns one and two, allowing Swanson to slip away.